The Online Reflector

UIndy travelers carry away valued experiences and wealth of international insight.

By Sarah Haefner
Feature Editor

Home to such historic landmarks as the acropolis and Parthenon and birthplace of prominent citizens of humanity including Socrates and Sophocles, Athens, Greece is one of the most celebrated cities in the world for its rich cultural history, political achievements and monumental characters and structures. The University of Indianapolis recognized these Athenian attributes when it opened a campus in the city, which is currently utilized by faculty and students alike to gain a more globally-connected educational experience.

Many UIndy faculty, students and alumni took advantage of the diverse programs and courses this past summer.

Graduate student Erik Atwood attended two summer sessions and took marketing, investment, and business strategy classes in the MBA program, all while reveling in the sights and sounds of Athens.

“Greece is definitely different. It’s more laid back, TV is not that big, there are no drive-thrus and most of the roads are narrow. It’s as if you stepped back in time,” Atwood said. “But the people are very family-oriented and take the time to be with each other. They set aside at least two hours to eat meals together.”

Stan Osweiler, professor of entrepreneurship and marketing, taught marketing at the Athens campus at the end of April. Although he has an international background because of his business career, Osweiler still managed to find the city a treasure.

“Athens has all the traditional trappings of a metropolitan city. It’s hustle and bustle and never stops, but it’s an incredible treasure of antiquity,” Osweiler said. “Culturally, it’s a treasure with the Parthenon, Acropolis and ruins around the city.”

Osweiler also found the location to be a challenge for his teaching style, though one he welcomed.

“I like to bring the real world into the classroom and it was difficult to use American examples in a classroom full of students from around the world,” Osweiler said. “But it was great because if I could get the point across, another student from Greece or Kazakhstan or Russia would share a similar example from their home country.”

Students participating in Professor Catherine Moran’s theatre course also received an added bonus of performing in one of Athen’s ancient theatres.

“I loved to see theatre students perform and the reaction of the local people,” Moran said. “The Greek people we encountered were very friendly, all the cafes were outdoors and at night the Parthenon was lit up.”

Junior Courtney Coleman took part in Moran’s theatre course and found the experience to be worthwhile.

“It was lots of fun. We were able to venture out and explore the city,” Coleman said. “We even took a bus tour around Greece and I loved the five day trip to Santorini.”

Although the students and faculty who attended UIndy Athens participated in different courses and shared a diverse number of experiences, most held a clear consensus on whether or not other UIndy persons should take advantage of the opportunity.

Alumnus Owen Hunt has traveled to Greece on more than one occasion and continues to find the experience enlightening.

“In America, we live in a cultural bubble, which isolates us from the rest of the world,” Hunt said. “You can’t understand others unless you compare ways of thinking. How do you know what your favorite food is unless you try others?”

The experience may also prove to be beneficial to those students looking for career placement in the near future.

“When the day comes to leave this institution, students with study abroad experience increase their value of themselves. They’ll be well-rounded and better spoken,” Osweiler said. “As faculty, we have much to learn from colleagues at foreign campuses, including the value of diversity.”

UIndy students have the opportunity to choose between a semester, summer or winter program in Athens, with undergraduate courses ranging from anthropology, business administration and journalism, to literature, political science and economics. Special courses regarding Greek history are offered as well. A semester academic program offers 12 to 15 credit hours and the summer and winter sessions offer three to six credit hours.

Graduate studies at UIndy Athens are also available for students interested in obtaining an executive MBA, and MA in clinical psychology, mental health counseling, applied sociology, media and communication, English and numerous others.

For more information about studying abroad at the Athens campus, as well as the application process and grant opportunities, contact the international division in Schwitzer Student Center 211 or check out the campus Web site http://odyssey.uindy.gr/.